Earth`s Cryosphere, 2019, Vol. XXIII, № 2, p. 12-24
LATE PLEISTOCENE AND EARLY HOLOCENE WINTER AIR TEMPERATURES IN KOTELNY ISLAND: RECONSTRUCTIONS USING STABLE ISOTOPES OF ICE WEDGES
Yu.K. Vasil’chuk1,2, V.M. Makeev3, A.A. Maslakov1, N.A. Budantseva1, A.C.Vasil’chuk1
1Lomonosov Moscow State University, Faculty of Geography and Faculty of Geology, 1, Leninskie Gory, Moscow, 119991, Russia
2Tyumen State University, 6, Volodarskogo str., Tyumen, 625003, Russia; vasilch_geo@mail.ru
3Russian State Hydrometeorological University, 98, Malookhtinsky prosp., St. Petersburg, 109017, Russia
Late Pleistocene and Holocene winter air temperatures in Kotelny Island, northeastern Russian Arctic, have been reconstructed using oxygen isotope compositions of ice wedges and correlated with evidence of Late Pleistocene and Holocene climate variations inferred from pollen data. The δ18О values range exceeds 6 ‰ in Late Pleistocene ice wedges but is only 1.5 ‰ in the Holocene ones (–30.6 ‰ to –24.0 ‰ against –23.1 ‰ to –21.6 ‰, respectively). The Late Pleistocene mean January air temperatures in Kotelny Island were 10–12 °С lower than the respective present temperature. On the other hand, mean winter temperatures in cold substages during the Karga interstadial were colder than those during the Sartan glacial event. The Late Pleistocene–Holocene climate history included several warm intervals when air temperatures were high enough to maintain the existence of low canopy tree patches in Kotelny Island. Mean January air temperatures in the early Holocene were only 1.0–1.5 °С lower than now. The early Holocene vegetation conditions were favorable for prolific growth of shrubs and fast peat accumulation.
Holocene, Late Pleistocene, ice complex, yedoma, winter paleotemperature, ice wedge, oxygen and hydrogen stable isotopes, radiocarbon age, Arctic islands